Meet Dr. Braaten

Ellen Braaten, PhD, is an experienced and prominent psychologist, researcher, speaker, and author. At Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where Dr. Braaten has been affiliated since 1998, she is the Executive Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) and the Kessler Family Chair in Pediatric Neuropsychological Assessment. She also holds an appointment of Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. In the past, Dr. Braaten served as an Associate Director of The MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds and the track director of the Child Psychology Training Program at MGH/Harvard Medical School (HMS).

Dr. Braaten is widely recognized as an expert in the field of pediatric neuropsychological and psychological assessment, particularly in the areas of assessing learning disabilities and attentional disorders. She has received funding to conduct longitudinal research on child outpatient samples, and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and reviews on psychological and neuropsychological assessment, intelligence, ADHD, learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, gender, psychotherapy, and motherhood. Dr. Braaten also has edited two reference books for clinicians.

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An accomplished and dynamic speaker, Dr. Braaten has traveled internationally, making engaging and informative presentations at conferences, meetings, and parenting groups. She is a frequent media contributor, including NBC News, WCVB Boston, CBS Boston, and The New York Times.

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Dr. Braaten is a prolific writer, and her latest book, Bright Kids Who Couldn't Care Less (2023), was released to rave reviews and special coverage in The Boston Globe. Dr. Braaten is also co-author of the best-selling book, Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up (2014), the first book of its kind to focus on information processing speed weaknesses in children. In 2019, she published the second edition of The Child Clinician's Report Writing Handbook, which has been called "the most comprehensive child assessment handbook available." She is the author of How to Find Mental Health Care for Your Child (2010) and the co-author of Straight Talk about Psychological Testing for Kids (2003).

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Dr. Braaten received her MA from the University of Colorado and her PhD from Colorado State University. She is a mother of two and resides in Boston, MA.

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Please click here for a summary of Dr. Braaten's academic activities and research.